Optical apparatus, measuring apparatus, measuring method, screening apparatus, and screening method

Abstract

An optical apparatus includes a first optical element and a second optical element capable of separating incident light according to a wavelength of the incident light. The first optical element includes a first separation section having first optical characteristics for reflecting light in a first wavelength band, transmitting light in a second wavelength band, and partially transmitting and partially reflecting light in a third wavelength band. The second optical element includes a second separation section having second optical characteristics for separating incident light that is incident in two wavelength bands including the first wavelength band or the second wavelength band and the third wavelength band into the light in the first wavelength band or the light in the second wavelength band and the light in the third wavelength band according to the wavelength.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical apparatus, comprising:
 an objective lens, 
 a light source configured to emit excitation light and bright field light, 
 a first optical element configured to supply, through the objective lens, the excitation light and the bright field light to a target, and to receive, through the objective lens, fluorescent light from the target caused by the excitation light and the bright field light reflected from the target, 
 a second optical element configured to receive, from the first optical element, incident light that includes the bright field light and the fluorescent light, and to separate the incident light into the bright field light and the florescent light according to a wavelength of the incident light, 
 a first sensor configured to receive, through the objective lens and the second element, the bright field light, and to form a bright field image of the target from the received bright field light, 
 a second sensor configured to receive, through the objective lens and the second element, the fluorescent light, wherein
 the first optical element includes a first dichroic mirror having first optical characteristics to 
 reflect excitation light in a first wavelength band and transmit fluorescence light in a second wavelength band caused by the excitation light in the first wavelength band, or transmit the excitation light in the first wavelength band and reflect the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band caused by the excitation light in the first wavelength band, and 
 partially transmit and partially reflect bright field light in a third wavelength band which is different from the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band, with a transmittance higher than a transmittance of the first wavelength band and lower than a transmittance of the second wavelength band, or with a transmittance higher than a transmittance of the second wavelength band and lower than a transmittance of the first wavelength band, and 
 the second optical element includes a second dichroic mirror positioned so that light transmitted through or reflected by the first dichroic mirror and having two wavelength bands including the second wavelength band of the fluorescence light and the third wavelength band of the bright field light is incident thereon, the second dichroic mirror having second optical characteristics to separate the incident light into the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band and the bright field light in the third wavelength band, according to the wavelength, 
 
 a third sensor configured to receive the bright field light emitted by the light source and transmitted through or reflected by the first dichroic mirror, and to output a signal corresponding to an amount of the bright field light received by the third sensor, and 
 a controller configured to, when a measurement is being performed by the optical apparatus, adjust an amount of the excitation light emitted by the light source to thereby adjust an amount of the excitation light irradiating the target or set exposure times of the first sensor and the second sensor, based on the signal output by the third sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first dichroic mirror includes
 a first multilayer film that
 reflects the excitation light in the first wavelength band and transmits the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band, or 
 transmits the excitation light in the first wavelength band and reflects the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band, and 
 
 a second multilayer film that partially transmits and partially reflects the bright field light in the third wavelength band with the transmittance of the third wavelength band higher than the transmittance of the first wavelength band and lower than the transmittance of the second wavelength band. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The optical apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second optical element guides the excitation light in the first wavelength band or the florescence light in the second wavelength band included in the incident light to a first optical path, and guides the bright field light in the third wavelength band included in the incident light to a second optical path. 
 
     
     
       4. The optical apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third optical element which is provided in one optical path with the first optical element and the second optical element, wherein first dichroic mirror of the first optical element further having the first optical characteristics to
 reflect excitation light in a fourth wavelength band and transmit fluorescence light in a fifth wavelength band caused by the excitation light in the fourth wavelength band, or 
 transmit the excitation light in the fourth wavelength band and reflect the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band, 
 
 the second dichroic mirror of the second optical element further having the second optical characteristics to
 transmit the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band and the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band and reflect the bright field light in the third wavelength band, or 
 reflect the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band and the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band and transmit the bright field light in the third wavelength band, and 
 
 the third optical element includes a third separator to
 reflect the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band and transmit the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band, or 
 transmit the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band and reflect the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The optical apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a fourth sensor, 
 a fourth optical element that guides focus detection light in a sixth wavelength band to the fourth sensor, 
 wherein the fourth optical element includes a fourth separator to 
 transmit the bright field light in the third wavelength band and reflect the focus detection light in the sixth wavelength band to guide the focus detection light to the fourth sensor, or 
 reflect the bright field light in the third wavelength band and transmit the focus detection light in the sixth wavelength band to guide the focus detection light to the fourth sensor. 
 
     
     
       6. The optical apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first dichroic mirror includes
 a first multilayer film that
 reflects the excitation light in the first wavelength band and transmits the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band, or 
 transmits the excitation light in the first wavelength band and reflects the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band; and 
 
 a second multilayer film that partially transmits and partially reflects the bright field light in the third wavelength band with the transmittance of the third wavelength band higher than the transmittance of the first wavelength band and lower than the transmittance of the second wavelength band. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The optical apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band and the bright field light in the third wavelength band are simultaneously incident on the second optical element. 
 
     
     
       8. The optical apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a third optical element which is provided in one optical path with the first optical element and the second optical element, 
 wherein first dichroic mirror of the first optical element further having the first optical characteristics to
 reflect excitation light in a fourth wavelength band and transmit fluorescence light in a fifth wavelength band, or 
 transmit the excitation light in the fourth wavelength band and reflect the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band, 
 
 the second dichroic mirror of the second optical element further having the second optical characteristics to
 transmit the bright field light in the third wavelength band and the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band and reflect the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band, or 
 reflect the bright field light in the third wavelength band and the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band and transmit the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band, and 
 
 the third optical element includes a third separator to
 reflect the bright field light in the third wavelength band and transmit the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band, or 
 transmit the bright field light in the third wavelength band and reflect the fluorescence light in the fifth wavelength band. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The optical apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an imaging optical system that causes the bright field light to be formed as an image on the first sensor, which is provided in one optical path with the first optical element and the second optical element, 
 wherein the second optical element is arranged on an image side relative to the imaging optical system on the optical path. 
 
     
     
       10. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a third optical element arranged on the image side relative to the imaging optical system and the second optical element in the optical path, 
 wherein the third optical element includes a third separator having third optical characteristics to separate light from the second optical element according to the wavelength. 
 
     
     
       11. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the second dichroic mirror of the second optical element further having second optical characteristics to
 cause light in one wavelength band among light in a plurality of wavelength bands from the first optical element to be emitted in a first direction and 
 cause light in other wavelength bands to be emitted in a second direction, and 
 
 a wavelength at which an emission direction of the light from the first optical element in the second optical characteristics is switched between the first direction and the second direction is a wavelength at which the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band in the first optical characteristics are switched. 
 
     
     
       12. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the second dichroic mirror includes a multilayer film. 
 
     
     
       13. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the first dichroic mirror separates the light incident in the third wavelength band into at least transmitted light and reflected light. 
 
     
     
       14. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band are continuous wavelength bands. 
 
     
     
       15. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein a first light on a short wavelength side relative to a second light among the first light being incident in the first wavelength band and the second light being incident in the second wavelength band is incident on the first dichroic mirror earlier than the second light, and 
 the second light is incident on the first dichroic mirror after the incidence of the first light. 
 
     
     
       16. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first wavelength selector that enables one of light in the first wavelength band and light in the second wavelength band, and light in the third wavelength band to be selectively incident on the first dichroic mirror. 
 
     
     
       17. The optical apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second wavelength selector capable of selectively transmitting one of light in the first wavelength band and light in the second wavelength band being incident on the first dichroic mirror and then emitted through the first dichroic mirror, and light in the third wavelength band. 
 
     
     
       18. A measuring apparatus, comprising:
 the optical apparatus according to  claim 1 . 
 
     
     
       19. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an imaging optical system that is arranged in an optical path between the first optical element and the second optical element and forms the bright field image of the target on the first sensor. 
 
     
     
       20. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an imaging optical system that forms the bright field image of the target on the first sensor. 
 
     
     
       21. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the light source is capable of simultaneously emitting the excitation light and the bright field light. 
 
     
     
       22. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an optical information detection device on which light not directed to the target among light emitted from the light source and incident on the first optical element is incident, and that detects information on the light not directed to the target. 
 
     
     
       23. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the optical information detection device detects an light amount of the light incident on the optical information detection device. 
 
     
     
       24. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a controller that controls emission of the excitation light and the bright field light from the light source. 
 
     
     
       25. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein the controller causes the excitation light and the bright field light to be simultaneously emitted from the light source. 
 
     
     
       26. The measuring apparatus according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein the controller performs control to change a light reception time of the first sensor according to a wavelength of the bright field light emitted from the light source. 
 
     
     
       27. A screening apparatus, comprising:
 a bioassay device; and 
 the measuring apparatus according to  claim 18 . 
 
     
     
       28. A measuring method, comprising:
 emitting light that illuminates an target through the optical apparatus according to  claim 1 . 
 
     
     
       29. The measuring method according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving the light through the target individually for each wavelength at the same time. 
 
     
     
       30. The measuring method according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 simultaneously receiving first light and second light through the target. 
 
     
     
       31. The measuring method according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 chronologically receiving first light and second light through the target. 
 
     
     
       32. The measuring method according to  claim 28 , further comprising:
 changing a light reception time of the first sensor according to a wavelength of the incident light. 
 
     
     
       33. A screening method, comprising:
 performing bioassay using a biochip; and 
 measuring the biochip using the measuring method according to  claim 28 . 
 
     
     
       34. The optical apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first dichroic mirror has a constant transmittance value with respect to the third wavelength band light in an entire wavelength band including the wavelength of the bright field light. 
 
     
     
       35. An optical apparatus comprising:
 an objective lens; 
 a light source configured to emit excitation light in a first wavelength band and bright field light in a third wavelength band; 
 a first dichroic mirror; 
 a second dichroic mirror, 
 wherein the first dichroic mirror and the second dichroic mirror are configured in a first configuration or a second configuration, in the first configuration, 
 the first dichroic mirror is positioned and has optical characteristics to reflect the excitation light in a first wavelength band to an irradiation target on a stage so that the irradiation target generates fluorescence light in a second wavelength band, 
 transmit the fluorescence light generated by the irradiation target, 
 partially reflect, to the irradiation target, the bright field light in the third wavelength band, so that the bright field light is reflected by the irradiation target, and 
 partially transmit the bright field light reflected by the irradiation target, 
 wherein the first dichroic mirror has a transmittance for the third wavelength band that is higher than a transmittance of the first wavelength band and lower than a transmittance of the second wavelength band, and 
 the second dichroic mirror is positioned so that the fluorescence light transmitted by the first dichroic mirror and the bright field light transmitted by the first dichroic mirror are incident on the second dichroic mirror, and the second dichroic mirror has optical characteristics to separate the incident light into the fluorescence light and the bright field light, according to the wavelength, and 
 in the second configuration, the first dichroic mirror is positioned and has optical characteristics to transmit the excitation light in a first wavelength band to an irradiation target so that the irradiation target generates the fluorescence light in the second wavelength band, reflect the fluorescence light generated by the irradiation target, 
 partially transmit, to the irradiation target, the bright field light in the third wavelength band, so that the bright field light is reflected by the irradiation target, and 
 partially reflect the bright field light reflected by the irradiation target, wherein the first dichroic mirror has a transmittance for the third wavelength band that is higher than a transmittance of the second wavelength band and lower than a transmittance of the first wavelength band, and 
 the second dichroic mirror is positioned so that the fluorescence light reflected by the first dichroic mirror and the bright field light reflected by the first dichroic mirror are incident on the second dichroic mirror, and the second dichroic mirror has optical characteristics to separate the incident light into the fluorescence light and the bright field light, according to the wavelength; 
 a first sensor configured to receive, through the objective lens and the second dichroic mirror, the bright field light, and to form a bright field image of the irradiation target from the received bight field light; 
 a second sensor configured to receive, through the objective lens and the second dichroic mirror, the fluorescent light; 
 a third sensor configured to receive the bright field light emitted by the light source and transmitted through or reflected by the first dichroic mirror, and to output a signal corresponding to an amount of the bright field light received by the third sensor; and 
 a controller configured to, when a measurement is being performed by the optical apparatus, adjust an amount of the excitation light emitted by the light source to thereby adjust an amount of the excitation light irradiating the target or set exposure times of the first sensor and the second sensor, based on the signal output by the third sensor.